Stephen Hartman

Senior Pastor

Pastor Stephen Hartman began Pastoral Ministry as the Assistant Pastor at King of Kings Community Church in Manahawkin NJ back in 1996. In 1999 “The Hartman Family” along with about 10 other families where sent into the Tuckerton/ Little Egg Harbor community to plant the first "daughter church" of King of Kings. Stephen & Sandi, if asked, will tell you that “this “adventure” has been very rewarding”! “Planting a church and growing a church into the fabric of a community is what God has called us to do! God sent us here on a beautiful mission back in 1999 and he continues to unfold his plan for us, as a family and as a church family as we continue to follow him, love him, and serve him”. “The Great Commission… is a GREAT ADVENTURE… AND SANDI AND I LOVE THE WAY JESUS HAS REVEALED HIMSELF TO US OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN! OUR LIVES HAVE BEEN SO RICH FOLLOWING JESUS”.

Stephen is a life-long resident of Southern Ocean County, having grown up on Long Beach Island he graduated from Southern Regional High School in 1979, graduated from Widener University in 1983 with a degree in Business Administration.

Stephen has at times summarized his pastoral commissioning, or "calling" in the following way, (as a command from the Lord): "Tell my people that I love them."

Pastor Steve is joined in ministry by his wife Sandi, and five children, Stephen Jr., Jeremy, Jacob, Elisha, and Noel.

Here are a few of my Life verses: Along with my personal comments of encouragement.

2 Cor.9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that

in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

The Lord “breathed” this promise upon me 3 times on Saturday morning December 31, 2005. It became my 2006 bible verse for the year… and today I believe that it is one of the most powerful, comforting promises operating in my life! ALL GRACE offered to me… in ALL THINGS … at ALL TIMES! … having ALL THAT I NEED… so that in every good work I will abound!!! The morning the Lord spoke this into me, I asked myself the question, “What would my life look like if I believed this?” I’M GOING TO FIND OUT!

This promise now lives in me… and is bearing fruit. Ponder this promise! What would your life look like if you believed it also? God is able and willing… amen.

Phil. 3:12-14

v.12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

v.13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

v.14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus

My goal in life… Is to “FOLLOW JESUS”… and I want to “TAKE HOLD” of the “THAT” from Philippians 3:12. Think about it… what is the “THAT”? The “THAT” is huge! I am compelled to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of ME! For me the “THAT” is not only God’s plan for Stephen Hartman’s life in Christ! His plan, His purpose, His Mission on earth through Stephen Hartman… but the “THAT” is also a love relationship between me and the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit! Let’s all go after “THAT”!

Jn.5:17

“My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working.”

Do you really believe that God is ALWAYS at His work in your life? The Lord gave me this very simple promise one day in (2006) the midst of a long season where it seemed like winter! I felt like God had gone on vacation without me. It seemed like nothing was going on inside me concerning the things of God. I felt lonely, unfruitful, and unproductive. When God spoke to me through Jesus words- I felt like he was challenging me to begin THANKING HIM THAT HE WAS AT WORK IN MY LIFE…AND THAT HE IS ALWAYS AT WORK IN MY LIFE, AROUND MY LIFE, AND EVEN THROUGH MY LIFE! It has had such a tremendous impact on my life that now I’m always praying it, always sharing it, and always preaching it…. Because it’s true number one… and number two is I believe it! A cool fruit of this over the past few years is how much I hear other people in our church praying it and sharing it because they believe it also! Did you know that GOD IS ALWAYS AT WORK IN YOU? J He loves you a bunch!

1 Peter 4:10

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

Way back in 1998 a brother in the Lord called me and spoke this promise into my life. The Lord had called me to Pastor this church plant a few months before, and it was a very challenging time for me to really believe that God knew what he was doing picking a guy like me. (I had a lot of reasons why I couldn’t do what God was calling me to do) It was through this promise I realized that I was just an “Administrator” of GOD’S GRACE in the “various” form of Stephen Hartman! It seems like a wrestling match at times to really believe with all our hearts that God can use us. We see ourselves inadequate, and we fear stepping out in faith to accomplish God’s work!

Reality is… God made us uniquely special, fashioned us, and shaped use according to His GOOD purpose and he gifted us all to be ADMINISTRATORS of HIS GRACE in some way.

The question is, Are we being “faithful administrators of his grace”? Are we using our gifts and talents to serve others? Do we allow God to work through us into others people’s lives? It is God’s will for us ALL to be faithful administrators of HIS SAVING GRACE!!!

Bernadette Herbert

Administrator

As Church Administrator, Bernadette faithfully handles the many and varied day-to-day tasks that help to "keep the church going." She also helps oversee the Lighthouse Alliance Thrift Store that is such a blessing to the families in our community each and every day. She and her husband Vince live in Tuckerton and are so blessed to have their daughter Katie, son in law Dan, daughter Ali and son in law Mike serving along side of them as they serve the Lord at Lighthouse. Bernadette and Vince just became grandparents to a sweet baby boy Tripp Daniel.